Kuzul

Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti has already announced that his club intends on making a number of personnel changes in the offseason, but many folks around Dodgertown are curious to see if the current coaching staff will remain intact to compliment newly hired manager Don Mattingly.

Until some type of direction is established in regards to the verdict in the McCourt divorce trial, it’s difficult to even guess the payroll parameters for next year. Once the team budget is established, the early formations should begin in terms of player personnel.

However, the coaching staff is a small part of the payroll, and could be one of the first areas solidified as the team prepares for next season.

Tim Wallach, who was the fan favorite to succeed Joe Torre as manager, has already expressed interest in coaching as part of Mattingly’s staff. Wallach indicated to the media last week that he would rather assume a position in the Major Leagues instead of returning to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Whether Colletti and Mattingly decide to offer Wallach a spot with the Dodgers remains to be seen. Based on his managerial success in Triple-A, it’s speculated that Wallach will be snatched up quickly by another organization if he doesn’t land some type of job in Los Angeles.

It’s already been rumored that Mattingly asked current third base coach Larry Bowa to become bench coach. There’s been no indication yet from Bowa to confirm the offer, but the common thinking is that the bench coach position will be filled by someone with a reasonable amount of managing experience to help guide Mattingly during his first season.

Bowa is known for personality issues in his past, and has been involved in conflicts with several Dodgers’ players this season. For the Dodgers to move forward and have any chance at a productive season, any such conflicts between the players and the coaches will need to be resolved immediately.

If Bowa does indeed vacate his current position, Wallach could be a very suitable candidate. It’s also been speculated that Wallach could possibly fill Mattingly’s previous job as hitting coach. Before becoming manager of Albuquerque, Wallach was the Dodgers’ hitting coach in 2004 and 2005. He was the recipient of two Silver Slugger awards in his playing days, and certainly has the ability to help rescue Los Angeles from its 2010 power drought.

It’s tough to guess the direction the Dodgers will take in terms of the pitching coaches. Current pitching coach Rick Honeycutt has been with Los Angeles since 2006, and although the starting rotation has been phenomenal especially in the second half of the season, the bullpen was nothing short of dreadful for almost the entire year.

As a player, Honeycutt was always known as a control pitcher and a “nibbler,” and it was evident, at least early in the year, that he was trying to instill some of those philosophies into hard-throwing starters Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley. Both Billingsley and Kershaw have improved tremendously this season, most likely as a result of mixing location skills with their above-average velocity and their abilities to challenge opposing hitters.

Nevertheless, the bullpen will need to improve. Current bullpen coach Ken Howell may be in a position to be replaced, as Los Angeles will definitely need a fresh look to guide the relievers. One name being tossed around for pitching coach or bullpen coach is Charlie Hough, the current pitching coach for Single-A Inland Empire, and former pitching coach for Los Angeles in 1998 and 1999.

Current Dodgers’ catcher Brad Ausmus, who will retire at the end of this season, also has expressed interest in continuing with the organization in a coaching capacity, There’s been no indication by the Dodgers or Ausmus if his coaching career would begin in the Major or Minor Leagues.

Regardless, whether there’s an entirely new look or if most of the coaches return, the working relationships with the players are paramount. If Mattingly and company are able to create positive chemistry no matter what the roster looks like, there may be a chance for success.

But if any of the negative tendencies that were present in 2010 carry over to next year, it will be a very, very long season indeed.

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Joe Torre is as New York as Broadway and the Meatpacking District combined.

He’s an Italian man that was born there, played there, managed there, earned his fame and fortune there, became a champion there, and damn if he ain’t going to die there, too.

When Torre bolted from New York—perhaps not voluntarily—after bringing the Yankees six American League pennants and four World Series titles in 12 seasons, it’s not all that surprising that he landed in Los Angeles.

It’s about as far away as he could get from the circus that engulfed his name when, in the 2007 ALDS, late owner George Steinbrenner said Torre’s contract would not be renewed if the Yankees didn’t advance past the Cleveland Indians.

Well, bugs swarmed Joba Chamberlain and the media swarmed Torre.

In four games, the Yankees were gone, and Torre was gone.

While the passion for managing remained, Torre had accomplished too much in his career to take some middling job.

If he was going to return to the dugout, it had to be for a franchise that threw around some name recognition.

And it just so happened that the Dodgers needed a new skipper after Grady Little resigned following the 2007 season.

A Rebirth in Los Angeles

Torre and the Dodgers: It was a no-brainer, really.

After 12 summers of running New York, Torre’s persona had swelled enough that he was Hollywood-caliber before ever landing on the West Coast.

Torre’s credibility and pedigree strutted into L.A., and immediately gave a once-proud franchise some direction.

Before Torre stepped foot in Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles had won one postseason game since the famous 1988 World Series title.

One postseason win.

A Jose Lima gem against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004. That’s it.

Torre immediately worked wonders with the Dodgers, taking a young core of talent and molding them into a championship contender.

Torre took the Dodgers to the NLCS in 2008 and 2009, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies both years. 

But Torre’s mark had been made. He set a standard that hadn’t been in L.A. since Lasorda left the dugout.

And then 2010 came.

Restricted by lousy owners and their egregious expenses, which were exposed by their public divorce, general manager Ned Colletti handed Torre a team that was short on pitching and had almost zero shot from the beginning to contend for its own division, much less a pennant.

In the final year of his deal, Torre didn’t get a prosperous postseason, but rather a somber summer.

By the time September baseball rolled around, the Dodgers had long been left in the twilight of the season, and Torre announced he wouldn’t be back.

Why would he? For a man that has done it all, what did this job have to offer him anymore?

But knowing Torre, he wasn’t about to retire so easily.

Torre in Orange and Blue?

When Torre returned to Yankee Stadium this week to honor George Steinbrenner—his first return to the The Bronx since 2007—reporters asked him if he would consider taking the New York Mets job.

With the Mets becoming a running joke around the league, the public opinion is that manager Jerry Manuel will not be back next year.

Torre said there’s “no question” he would take a phone call from the Mets and consider returning to New York to manage in Queens.

This peeved Manuel, who wondered aloud why Torre would comment on a job that’s currently occupied. Torre later apologized to Manuel, and said he was not entertaining the Mets job. 

Torre had to say that because the Mets still have games to play. Manuel is still the manager, and it’s one of those unwritten baseball rules that you don’t comment on a job that isn’t currently open.

But make no mistake: If Manuel is fired and the Mets offer Torre the job, he will sit down with his wife and give it serious consideration. 

That’s the obvious part of this. Sure, at 70 years old, some people probably think Torre should pack it up and enjoy the rest of his time with his family.

He’s done enough in baseball.

But, that’s not the question here. Torre’s the only one that can decide when he’s had enough.

No, the question here is this: How would Torre be perceived if he did take that Mets job?

Fairly or Unfairly, How Would Torre Be Perceived?

We aren’t talking about fairness or truth.

Torre could very well have genuine interest in continuing to manage, whether that is the Mets or somebody else.

But how would the New York media perceive Torre? Would they think it’s some ploy to steal the headlines from the Yankees, some sort of revenge for getting run out of The Bronx?

If Torre took over the Mets, then suddenly they are on the back pages, and the Yankees are not.

It wouldn’t even matter if the Yankees had won a second consecutive World Series.

Torre at Citi Field would be the hot topic, the juicy storyline that never sleeps in New York City.

Regardless of Torre’s motivations, taking the Mets job could make him out to be a bit of a drama queen.

It could appear that Torre’s as interested in making news and being in the spotlight than he is about winning.

Of course, nobody really knows how Torre feels about all of this.

But do you think for a second that winning with the Mets and stealing the attention of the city from the Yankees wouldn’t be one sweet carrot on top of the winning and the money? Let’s not be so naïve.

This is an interesting dynamic for Torre, more so for him than any other man because of what he has accomplished in baseball and how his tenure with the Yankees ended.

Torre is a sure-fire Hall of Fame manager, and has always been revered. He has been portrayed as a man of class, integrity, and grace.

There is not one thing in baseball that he hasn’t done, and there’s not one thing in baseball that he has left to prove.

So, that begs the question: If managing the New York Mets would stir up the notebooks once again in the Big Apple and create a potentially damning situation for Torre’s image, would the move even be worth it for a man that has conquered New York, and then some?

Follow Teddy Mitrosilis on Twitter. You can reach him at tm4000@yahoo.com.

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Let’s start with a serious question today: Should Monument Park be renamed STEINBRENNER SHRINE (& Assorted Other Dead Guys)?

I’m not even joking. Babe Ruth has been dethroned as the biggest star in the cave tucked beneath Mohegan Sun’s bar, and he’s been replaced by a guy who a) never played a game, b) had a male F.U.P.A., and c) exclusively wore white turtlenecks.

This actually happened.

Steinbrenner’s monument is a beast. It measures 7 feet across and 5 feet high across its bronze face. It weighs 760 pounds, or roughly one Hideki Irabu. The shrine positively towers over monuments to Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Miller Huggins, which are all 2 feet by 3 feet.

I suppose this can’t be considered a surprise. The “George would have wanted it this way!” sentiment probably ran pretty deep within the organization and son Fredo Hank Steinbrenner likely demanded the dimensions as one final “Am I good enough for you now…DAD?!?” gesture.

Amazingly, this may not have even been the oddest subplot of the night.

Enter Joseph Paul Torre. With the Dodgers off Monday, management invited the former Yankees manager and Don Mattingly to the ceremony. And while it was great to see a beaming Donnie Baseball reveling in his newly-minted managerial glow, this didn’t seem like the right circumstance to bring Torre back.

In case you’ve forgotten, things have been, well, awkward between Torre and the Yankees since his departure from the organization in 2007. After making the playoffs 12 straight years, the Yankees told Torre he would have to take a pay cut to stay on as manager, which prompted his exit and eventual tell-all book that basically read like a 512-page breakup note.

You could tell the fans wanted to give Torre the welcome he deserved, but the circumstances dictated a subdued response. And with Vegas listing a 283 percent probability rate of Torre managing the Mets next season, we’ll probably have to wait at least a couple more years before New York’s prodigal manager can properly come home.

It was an unusual night to say the least, all done in the big, loud, “Pomp and Circumstance” nature that the Yankees have perfected over the years. Oh, and they beat the Rays to increase their lead in the AL East. I’ve got a feeling that would’ve been ol’ George’s favorite part of the night.

Actually, it’d probably still be the massive shrine. It’d definitely be the massive shrine.

Dan Hanzus writes the Yankees blog River & Sunset and can be reached via e-mail at dhanzus@gmail.com. Follow Dan on Twitter @danhanzus.

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Last week, Joe Torre announced that he was stepping down as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers and will not seek an extension from L.A., leaving his protege and former Yankee great Don Mattingly the task of managing the Dodgers during the messy Frank and Jaime McCourt divorce proceedings.

Torre, 70, is, without a doubt a Hall of Fame manager. A guy once labeled “Clueless Joe” by the New York Post before the 1996 season became “King Joe” by year’s end, when the Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves in the ’96 World Series.

Three more World Series titles later, and after 12 seasons of success, Torre became a New York City icon, joining the likes of DiMaggio, Mantle, Ruth, Jeter, Lawrence Taylor, Tom Seaver, Joe Namath, Bill Parcells, and Mark Messier.

Torre returned to Yankee Stadium Monday night after three long years of disconnect from the Bronx Bombers since his book, “The Yankee Years,” which Brian Cashman insists threw himself and many others in the organization under the bus.

Since Friday, rumors have been swirling that Torre could be ready to make a return to the City he calls home, but, he is not coming back to the Yankees; he could be coming back to New York to manage … the Mets!

HUH? The Mets? The same team that gave us Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo? The same team that thinks Dillon Gee, Lucas Duda, and Josh Thole are the next great prospects coming up in the Mets system? The same Mets who make choking into an art form? Those Mets?

You betcha.

The New York Post was the first to report the rumor on Friday, citing a “close friend” of Torre’s who said that Torre would only consider managing the Mets if he didn’t retire. The report also says that Torre is close with Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon, and, if he should become the manager, Torre would want to be paid around $13 million a year, the same salary he is making with the Dodgers.

Yesterday, while being interviewed by Mike Francesa on WFAN, Torre said that he was “curious” about the Mets job, and he hoped “the phone will be ringing,” and said coming to the Mets would be “full circle” for him since he began his managerial career with the Mets in 1977. Torre also confirmed that he has not had any contact with anyone from the Mets organization or any other team so far.

In short, Torre is willing to talk to the Mets, if they are willing to see him.

The question remains though: Is Torre serious about making this move? He is 70 years old. The Mets are a dysfunctional mess from top to bottom. Here are the problems with the Mets that Torre would have to fix:

1. Johan Santana is coming off two straight winters with arm surgery. He was not the same pitcher in 2010 that he was in 2009, and he will only get worse. Clearly, after Santana, the Mets don’t have a legit ace in the rotation.

2. The Mets have no right fielder. Yes, I know everyone loves Angel Pagan, but can he really do this again for another year?

3. Jason Bay is coming off a season ending injury and a dreadful 2010.

4. Carlos Beltran may not be here if the Mets trade him for pitching.

5. Luis Castillo is not going anywhere.

6. Oliver Perez is not going anywhere.

7. Jose Reyes has developed a reputation as brittle, having missed parts of the season.

8. Ruben Tejada is a worse hitter than Luis Castillo.

9. Mariano Rivera is not coming out of that bullpen anytime soon. With Francisco Rodriguez’s legal trouble, the Mets have been rumored to be trading or releasing K-Rod. They will need a closer; Rivera is not leaving the Yankees.

10. Too bad human cloning is illegal, because there are not enough Ike Davises and David Wrights to go around on this team.

11. Did I mention that the Wilpons wouldn’t pay Torre $13 million a year? Sorry. The Wilpons have defined stingy, cheap and plain dumb before. The Mets never paid more than $2 million a year to a manager, i.e. Willie Randolph, and when they do throw around money, it is usually in the wrong place—Pedro Martinez and $53 million come to mind.

Ever since the Bernie Madoff scandal that many believe cost the Mets millions of dollars, the team has been pinching pennies. They made only one big signing last winter, Bay, and refused to trade for a pitcher with a steep contract, i.e. Dan Haren or Roy Oswalt when the Mets were still relevant in June.

I would like to think that the Wilpons would channel late Jets owner Leon Hess, and tell Torre to “buy the groceries” the way Hess asked Parcells to do when he took over the Jets in 1997, and turned them into a force in the AFC for years to come.

However, Jeff Wilpon isn’t Leon Hess.

I like Joe Torre; he is a great manager, and his presence would fire up the Mets fan base. I myself would like to see him in Mets blue, orange, and black. 

But, let’s look at reality.

Torre would serve more as a figurehead for the Mets for the next two years until he calls it quits. This is a job that Torre doesn’t need. His legacy is too great, that he doesn’t need to be remembered as the guy who ended his career leading the Mets into back-to-back third place finishes in the NL East.

I guess Torre has been bitten by the Bill Parcells virus, A.K.A. the inability of a legendary old head coach to let go of the career and sport he loves even at an advanced age. Torre coming to the Mets would be similar to Parcells’ as he would stay with the team for two or three years and then leave it in a lurch.

If Torre is on the fence about retirement, he should retire. We should only remember him as the guy who built his New York legacy winning four World Series titles, the guy with the lasting images of him being carried off by his Yankee players after the Yankees won their fourth and final World Series under his baton.

As for the Mets, this is not the time to think about sticking it to the Yankees. The Mets need to think about building a franchise for the long haul with a younger manager who has the energy to rebuild this franchise in his vision, discipline it and turn the Mets back into a respectable franchise again.

It is ironic in some ways because five years ago, the Mets actually got it right when they hired a Joe Torre disciple in Willie Randolph, who had the energy to erase the bad memories of the Art Howe years, and to lead the Mets to within one swing of the World Series in 2006.

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Just before packing it in at the end of the season, the final task for most players and coaches in Major League Baseball is to take a trip to the general manager’s office—for, at the very least, the purpose of reviewing the performances of the previous year.

But rather than discussing the 2010 season, former batting coach Don Mattingly and GM Ned Colletti will be discussing the future.

For the newly named manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Mattingly’s own personal coaching production in 2010 never really seemed to matter. Mattingly knew even before the season began that his future was bright in Los Angeles—regardless of the team’s offensive output.

Just last week, when asked about the cause of the Dodgers offensive struggles by LA Times reporter Dylan Hernandez, Mattingly replied, “It’s really kind of confusing and frustrating.”

And when faced with the question of where the responsibility falls between the player and the coach, Mattingly stated, “In the end, as a player, I always took responsibility for what happened.”

Heading into 2011, if the Los Angeles Dodgers players will be required to take the blame for the performance on the field, this year’s results will look glorious compared to what lies ahead.

Hopefully for the sake of Dodgertown, Mattingly isn’t revisited by those feelings of “confusion and frustration” that he felt as hitting coach in 2010.

Most teams around the league that expect success will make proper decisions in regards to management. However with the Dodgers, the problems start at the top, and the viruses have already spread deep into the roots of the entire organization.

An excellent example of a club being proactive and tackling a similar offensive drought this year is the Philadelphia Phillies. Just one week removed from the All-Star break, the Phils found themselves struggling offensively, and as a team posted a disappointing 49-46 record.

Philadelphia management decided to make a controversial move and replace hitting coach Milt Thompson, who was key in helping the Phillies offense to two consecutive World Series appearances in 2008 and 2009—not to mention that he also played three years for the Phils in the late eighties.

Despite Thompson’s service record with the franchise, Philadelphia replaced him with Greg Gross, and the Phillies offense soared once again. Only two months after the move, the Phillies find themselves with a 90-61 record and are primed for yet another strong run in the 2010 playoffs.

Sure, the Dodgers and the Phillies are two completely different clubs with an entirely different set of circumstances, but the Dodgers, who were 10 games over .500 at the All-Star break, took a different avenue by trying to add a few speedy veterans and selling part of the farm.

As Ned Colletti’s decisions could be evaluated with a multitude of failing grades, Ned’s performance must be correlated to team owner and chairman, Frank McCourt.

McCourt calls the shots and dictates the budget, while Colletti obeys Frank’s every single wish and desire.

Joe Torre recognized the cancer and ended up skipping town. The Dodgers players felt the disease and eventually collapsed.

Mattingly could very well be a victim of circumstance, as he finds himself in a bad spot at a horribly bad time. Yet McCourt and Colletti made a horrible decision in predetermining the club’s future by making a managerial decision almost a year in advance.

The future of a manager who struggles to put together a lineup card or who is incapable of following etiquette when visiting the pitcher’s mound looks bleak.

Under current ownership, Los Angeles needed to make a clean sweep and retool the entire coaching staff if there were to be even a glimmer of hope moving into 2011.

Perhaps a manager from the farm system who was familiar with the future stars or a seasoned veteran who would put his foot down at any signs of clubhouse drama may have been better choices for a skipper.

It’s already rumored that Mattingly has asked third base coach Larry Bowa to become the club’s bench coach next year, and based on Bowa’s past personality issues and his ongoing conflicts with several players on the team, this move could very well be adding fuel to the fire.

While the folks around Dodgertown are hoping Don Mattingly can lead the Dodgers back into contention next year, perhaps they should redirect their hope to Frank McCourt and pray that he doesn’t systematically destroy the core of the squad and put the organization in a hole that will take many years in which to dig out.

And in terms of a career choice for Donnie Baseball, maybe, just maybe, accepting the Cleveland Indians or the Washington Nationals job offer may have been the smart move.

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Via the NY Post:

Joe Torre and Don Mattingly will attend the unveiling of George Steinbrenner’s monument in Monument Park, according to multiple people with knowledge of the names who will be on hand at Yankee Stadium.

The Steinbrenner family invited people with ties to The Boss, and Torre and Mattingly responded by telling the Steinbrenners they will attend.

Having Torre and Mattingly on hand is a significant event since they are such big parts of recent Yankee history.

Torre guided the Yankees to World Series titles in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000, and led the Yankees to 12 straight playoff appearances. Mattingly is one of the marquee names for a franchise loaded with them, and has a plaque in Monument Park.

Speaking Friday, GM Brian Cashman attempted to explain there was no animosity between the organization and Torre.

“There are no issues with Joe Torre and the Yankees,’’ Cashman said. “The issue was his rejecting the offer. Without question he is welcome.’’

 

This news makes a big event even bigger. Since the Yankees and  Joe Torre parted ways the Yankees have pretty much ignored one of the biggest managers in their history. It was immature and it’s a huge step toward the fences being mended.

He’s sure to get a big hand, and Don Mattingly being involved will make this a pretty special night. Mattingly, who was once considered the future manager of the Yankees, was recently named the next manager of the Dodgers and proud Yankee fans will surely give him an extra huge ovation to show how proud they are with the former Yankee captain.

Related Stories

• September 17, 2010—Mattingly To Become Next Dodgers Manager
• June 28, 2010—Cano and Mo Steal the Show: Yankees Comeback to Beat the Dodgers in 10 Innings
• June 24, 2010—Yankees Notes: Mariano, Granderson, A-Rod, Torre
• June 21, 2010—Interleague sets up World Series Rematches for Yankees

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Now in his 29th season as a major league manager, Joe Torre recently announced that he will not be returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers next season.

Torre led the team to two NLCS appearances in his first two years with the team but this year has been a horrific season for the Boys in Blue.

Dodgers fans shouldn’t despair, while his tenure with the team comes to a close, this is not a time to be sad.

There’s plenty of reasons to be hopeful.  Here are 10 reasons that the Dodgers won’t miss him.

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The Los Angeles Times broke the story Friday, announcing Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre will resign at the end of the season, giving way to his understudy apprentice, Don Mattingly. 

Mattingly has been Torre’s right-hand man since 2004, following Torre from the New York Yankees to Los Angeles. 

Since mid-June, rumors have heated up regarding the status of Torre and his intentions for 2011—while many insiders felt he was leaning towards leaving Hollywood.

Rumors turned into foreshadowing when it was announced Mattingly would coach in the Dodger’s minor league system over the winter, perhaps a preseason of sorts for the soon-to-be rookie manager.

Torre is certainly a legendary manager in the game of baseball. Successful in his playing days, and even more successful as a manager, Torre couldn’t continue building his legacy in Los Angeles.

Perhaps he was the victim of turmoil and uncertainty in the organization, stemming from the current divorce process in ownership.

There are approximately six months until next spring, and changes are coming in that duration. Here are five reasons why these changes will benefit Mattingly, and why his tenure as Dodgers skipper will be more fruitful than Joe Torre’s short stint in Los Angeles.

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre surprised the baseball world with the announcement on Friday that he will step down from his position following the season, named Don Mattingly his successor.

Meanwhile, we don’t yet know what Torre’s future plans include. Will he manage again or is this the end of his career?

If this is the last stop for Torre the manager, it has certainly been an interesting one. Torre, of course, is best known for the four titles he won with the New York Yankees. But is he a great manager? Is he a Hall of Famer?

Torre was once dubbed “clueless Joe” as he had a .471 winning percentage prior to 1996, with only one division title.

However, since then Torre has compiled a snazzy .590 winning percentage, 12 division titles, six pennants and those four World Series titles.

So, is he a good manager who simply had lousy teams? Or is a lucky guy who came to the Yanks at the right time, with an organization that spends money like a drunken sailor?

Similar to Phil Jackson in the NBA, the answer is probably a little bit of both. It’s not easy to manage a team of stars, yet even a good manager can’t win without talent.

As we go through the list, we compare Torre with the greats of all-time so you can form your own opinion.

Begin Slideshow

New York Yankees legend Don Mattingly will be replacing Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre at the end of the season. This ends a disappointing fun for Torre as the Dodgers manager.

Torre started his Dodger career with a 5-0 victory and kept on winning right into the 2008 playoffs. There, he managed his team to a 3-0 sweep over the Cubs.

This was the Dodgers first postseason series win since their championship season in 1988. The postseason victory would be short lived as the Dodgers were beaten by the Phillies four games to one.

He would lead them to success again in 2009 with a 95-67 record which clinched them the top seed. They would beat Torres’ old club the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 and rematch the Phillies.

Despite having the best record they were again bested by the Phillies. They were beaten in five games this time around.

2010 has not gone so well for the Dodgers and Torre felt it was time to step down. He leaves behind an interesting legacy with the Dodgers.

He was far from a failure as he went to the playoffs two out of three years and had the best team in the league one of those years.

Despite all of that he had a very poor postseason record and that is where he made his name. It is hard to really get a feel for someone when they only spend three years there.

It is suffice to say that he wasn’t the same manager that laid waste to baseball in the later 1900’s and early 2000’s

Are the Dodgers happy about what he did? I would say yes and no. He got them on the winning track but couldn’t get them to the promised land.

Mattingly will take over at the start of the 2011 season and face a difficult task. The Dodgers are going through a tough year and the owner situation is far from figured out.

Attracting key free agents this off-season will be hard and the current team seems to be the underachieving type.

Mattingly has been with Torre his whole managerial career and it would seem like he isn’t going to be much of a change from what Torre brings to the table.

He will surely bring different elements to the table but how different is a question that only he can answer. At any rate Mattingly will be the head of this team next year.

Where Torre will go from here is anyone’s guess. It is already rumored that he may be the top choice for the Florida Marlins job.

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